Guest Post: 10 Examples of Annoying Technology

As much as we all love technology and think that we cannot live without it, we have to admit… sometimes it can be annoying. But this is not the fault of the technology. It’s the people who use it. 🙂 Here is a fun guest post courtesy of Phone Shield that highlights some of the most annoying.

Whenever new gadgets are introduced, many are willing to adapt to it in place of the original method that may have been daunting to follow behind. For example: smart phones take the place of traditional cell phones with expandable applications and an on-screen keyboard that eliminates using a small “hands-on” keyboard. But the newer the technology, the more problems are bound to follow. Although, there may be ways around them set by manufacturer in the event that the bells and whistles are not needed after all.

1. Wireless Technology
Wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are the best when wired alternatives are not available, or impossible to transport due to taking up the extra space needed during trips. But you may want to think again when taking wired devices: wireless can cause interference with other radio waves and devices. If on a Wi-Fi Internet connection, the performance of loading websites may suffer significantly. Bluetooth is known for intercepting other Bluetooth signals during conversations or other uses using stereo headsets. Fortunately, wireless technology is improving everyday to rectify such problems.

2. System Notifications
Many operating systems have a way to notify a user that something needs to be viewed. It can be a warning, an error message, or bubble tooltip from the taskbar. Error message in particular, during the days of Windows XP, the system’s default error sound effect played when the volume is set at a certain level can be startling for a user cruising by tasks. From the computer user’s first year to seasoned veteran, notifications can be altered as the user will be aware of what the computer is thinking about.

3. Text Messages
Texting is a private alternative to actually talking to someone, but in certain climates, it is a bad idea. Texting while driving in particular can be very dangerous as eyes will be fixed on the phone than on the road, unlike talking on a cell phone while driving, even if the driver is paying attention. But the idea of texting can be distracting, if not expensive on certain carrier plans, especially during group engagements. Ideally, taking private texts during private breaks should be treated as live phone calls.

4. Spell Checking
When your built-in spelling check installed in your brain is not enough, spelling checkers on mobile devices and on word processing programs is your friend. But what happens if you spell a word, likely a newer word derived from the online world such as “lol”, it corrects it to something understandable, that does not fit the context of the statement? With additions of newer “words”, the spell checker appears to be becoming unreliable as it may incorrectly correct words that make sense in today’s society. It is a good thing that odd words can be added to the dictionary of the spell checker to avoid problems later.

5. “Bloatware”

The term “bloatware” is used to describe a popular program that contains unnecessary third-party programs. Software such as iTunes contains a few other programs in addition to the media player: programs that are not used very often in favour of similar, “light-weight” applications. While the extra software bundled is needed to run key parts of the software, the publisher should have included them in the program directly instead of taking up addition space on the desktop and on the hard drive.

6. Home Media Formats
Before DVD players, there were VHS players. People did not like the fact that DVDs were the next phase in home entertainment media, meaning that retailers and movie companies were ready to print DVDs, skipping VHS releases. With the evolution of technology and the benefits of digital media, the move from cassette to disc was not a bad move. But with the introduction of Blu-ray players, there is the possibility of another conversion on the way.

7. Next Generation Game Consoles
Game consoles have changed so much over the years. In the 80s, there was only a joystick, a cartridge, and the system to play the game on, and the fact that the game was very simple to get into. In the 21st Century, this is not the case. Mainstream consoles are now equipped with DVD or Blu-ray players, along with Internet capabilities to download exclusive content that you cannot find in retail stores, and play with other players from around the world. The downside to it all is that the service you are using charges a monthly fee. And with the extra features, it is prone to above normal repairs.

8. Social Networking
While social networking with friends and family is a good way to keep in touch when far away, besides the risks involved with sharing personal information with total strangers, the idea of using such networks can be a huge time waster. When you can be getting along during a work day, you may find yourself updating statuses, commenting on photos of friends, or playing games. Setting a time aside just for these tasks when not doing time-sensitive activities is rewarding after the long day.

9. Computers

Computers in general are changing every day. To keep up with changes in software, especially PC games, computers need to be upgraded on a regular basis. Several years ago, computer upgrading was not much to think about. With dual-core processors and newer operating systems, updating a computer can be a hassle with many things to lookout for such as Solid State Drives and other technology not immediately known to the public.

10. Evolving Technology
The more we adapt to technology, the more annoying it will be maintaining them. While it seemed that advanced technology were meant to change the way we do things, it actually makes things harder than they are now. Even experts scratch their heads at the slightest adjustment of something they do every day.

About The Author

Kris McDonald is Chicago mom to 2 sets of twins, photography nut, gadget addict, travel addict, and tech blogger who has worked in IT for over 16 years. Kris figured out a while ago that she was destined to be really busy (hence the 2 sets of twins), and she has found peace with that. Read More

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